When Rodney King's death was announced yesterday, there was plenty of speculation as to the cause. Even when it seemed as though an accidental drowning was the culprit, some of King's friends — and a few Gawker commenters — questioned the timeline established by his fiancée Cynthia Kelley.

Kelley, who the police have said is being "cooperative and forthright," said she heard King banging on the window at 5 a.m., shortly before she heard a splash. When she came outside, he was at the bottom of the pool. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Advertisement

While two friends allegedly expressed doubt about Kelley's story, TMZ's law enforcement source put it bluntly — "People in the neighborhood are just speculating."

Of course, true conspiracy theorists will likely continue to suspect foul play — especially given the history between Rodney King and law enforcement. For the time being, however, it seems as though his death was an accidental drowning, likely the result of an addiction King spent much of his life battling.